The present invention relates generally to a data display system for visually displaying data relating to the operation of an automatic call distributor and, more particularly, to a data display system and method for displaying real-time data relating to the operation of an automatic call distributor wherein a viewer of the data display is capable of modifying the types of data which is displayed, modifying how the data is displayed and modifying a time period at which the real-time data is updated from a display terminal connected to the automatic call distributor.
Display terminals for displaying data relating to the operation of an automatic call distributor are known. Automatic call distribution (ACD) systems are increasingly used by businesses to automatically route incoming customer calls to available agents. ACD systems generally include a multiport switch controlled by a central processing unit to interconnect external telephonic units of an external telephonic network with internal telephonic units. An example of such an ACD system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,611 issued to Jones et al. on Aug. 18, 1992, entitled "Pulse Modulated Self-Clocking and Self-Synchronizing Data Transmission and Method for a Telephonic Communication Switching System".
ACD systems provide for acquiring, processing and reporting data concerning different aspects of activity within the system. Typically, a display terminal connected directly, or through a designated LAN network, to the automatic call distributor generates visual representations of the data. Based on these representations, management and other personnel are able to evaluate the call activity within the automatic call distributor and, if necessary, make changes for more efficient ACD system operation.
Data is collected on each incoming call offered to the ACD system. This data consists of a log of events occurring in the ACD system over time for an incoming call. Typical logged data elements are receipt of call, call offered to an application, call presented to an agent group and call handled or abandoned. The data representing these data elements is processed to generate reports, either printed or visual, for use by the ACD personnel. The data may be organized in any number of ways, such as by agent, telephone trunk, agent groups and the like.
The supervisor, or agent, preferably desires real-time data in order to make timely changes for more efficient ACD system or agent operation. Unfortunately, current display systems which display real-time data do not provide for modification of displays of real-time data by a viewer at the display terminal. Thus, if an agent needs to receive different, or additional, data, to have the data updated at different time periods or to only view certain data when the data exceeds a selected threshold value, prior display systems would have to be reprogrammed by a computer programmer to accomplish any of these tasks. As should be apparent, such reprogramming for virtually every change is relatively expensive and time consuming.
Accordingly, it is apparent that a need exists in the art for a data display system and method for displaying real-time data relating to operation of an automatic call distributor wherein an agent has the capability from an agent display terminal to modify the types of data which is displayed, modify how the data is displayed and modify time periods at which the real-time data is updated.